5 Ways You're Sabotaging Your Sleep

Eating a large meal close to bedtime can delay falling asleep and can trigger heartburn. Many adults do not get enough sleep, and some sleep problems come from factors outside personal control. Phone use during the night can wake the brain by signaling that it is time to be awake and alert, making it harder to return to sleep. Checking a phone can also prompt the body to release stress hormones. Avoiding these manageable behaviors can improve the chances of getting a good night’s rest.

"Many of us have trouble falling and staying asleep and for some, it's more than occasional. About one in three adults say they don't get enough sleep each night. Some of what keeps us up is outside our control. But other things, like demolishing a plate of tacos, are manageable. I want to do whatever I can to get a good night's rest, so I asked experts for some advice on how to avoid activities that can mess up our sleep."

"Anita Shelgikar, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School, said that many of her patients wake up at night and reach for their phones. But if you do that, Dr. Shelgikar said, you're telling your brain: It's time to go, let's be awake and alert. And then it's hard to get back to sleep. (Checking your phone can cause your body to release stress hormones.)"

"Last night, I devoured three jumbo tacos right before bed. My taco spree felt great at 9 p.m., but I paid for it later because it took a long time for me to fall asleep. I'm well aware that eating so close to bedtime can interfere with rest and cause heartburn, but the allure of tacos al pastor was just too strong."

Read at www.nytimes.com